Athletics New Zealand – News – Aaron Pulford wins annual John Walker mile, Rebekah Greene sets NZ W16 800m reco

AUCKLAND
Sir John Walker Night of Miles, Mt Smart Stadium – 18 December 2010
Aaron Pulford added his name to the list of top runners who have won the annual Sir John Walker junior mile over the years with a convincing victory at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday evening.

Pulford led from the start and finished with a strong final 100m to record a time of 4m 10.03s.
The New Zealand junior 10,000m champion and record holder said that the race record of 4m 5.01s set by Richard Potts in 1990 was not on his mind.
“I was not really going for the record, before I warmed up it was raining so I said to my coach that I’ll just go for the win today,” said Pulford.
“I felt pretty good, I was pushed a bit just to get a 4m 10s as I drifted off the pace a bit on the third lap.”
The 19 year old is now back into training for the national 10,000m championship in Tauranga on 4 January.
“I’m hoping for a quick time there – maybe another New Zealand record would be good,” said Pulford.
Mohamed Ali was second in 4m 21.73s with Ben Moynihan third in 4m 22.28s and Matt Baxter fourth in 4m 24.65s.

Malcolm Hicks won the senior mile in 4m 7.00s, just holding out Alex Parlane by 0.43s.
Hicks, third in last season’s senior 1500m championship, said that it was his first race of the season.
“Pretty happy with that, you never really know where you are at, but happy with that for a start. The Christchurch International meeting will be the biggie I hope to get in the 1500m open final there,” he said.
Declan Wilson won the M19 mile in 4m 20.85s in finishing third in the senior event. The mile record for the track at Mt Smart Stadium is 3m 58.37s set by Mark Tucker of Australia in 2005 when he narrowly defeated Paul Hamblyn who recorded 3m 58.41s.

Luke McCallum won the M16 mile in 4m 36.85s, the W16 went to Denise Mendonca in 5m 17.0s (HT), Tara La Grange the W19 in 5m 17.92s and Anna Bramley the senior women in 5m 10.20s. Alana Barber won the mile walk in 8m 17.21s beating David Sim 8m 31.86s. Scott McLaren won the senior shot 13.24m and high jump clearing 1.85m.

The Auckland junior 1500m championships were also held. An interesting finish came in the girls 11 race where Stella Pearless, daughter of 1984 Los Angeles Olympian Peter Pearless was up against Georgia Clode, daughter of 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games representative Phil Clode. Pearless proved too strong over the final lap winning in 5m 9.32s with Clode finishing second in 5m 15.47s.
Maiya Christini of Pt Chevalier followed up her win in the G11 race last year in 5m 8.60s with another equally convincing victory in the G12 race in 5m 1.90s.
Ethan Vaughan of Pukekohe won the B14 1500m in 4m 23.07s.
 
Viaduct Harbour 5km Series – 14 December 2010
James Bradshaw won in 16m 52s from Simon Jaeger 17m 7s. Carmel Hanly was the first woman in 17m 52s.

Middle Distance series, Sovereign Stadium North Shore – 14 December 2010
Paul Hamblyn won the 1500m event in 3m 59.08s, from John Schreuder 3m 59.82s, Luke Longdill 4m 1.63s and Joshua Tattley 4m 2.51s.

Pakuranga 5km Series – 13 December 2010
Alex Parlane set a course record in winning in 15m 4s. James Hand was second in 17m 49s. Renee Holtom was the first woman in 19m 24s.
 
HAMILTON
Open Meeting, Porritt Stadium – 18 December 2010
Jacko Gill who was aiming to better his world record for a 15 year old with the senior 7.26kg shot of 18.57m and to break Arnold Campbell’s 1983 record of 18.72m for a 16 year old, could only manage one legal put of 17.60m, over the six rounds. Gill also had the M16 hammer out to 48.65m.
Joseph Millar fresh from his double victory in the sprints at the New Zealand Secondary Schools championships, won the 100m in 11.07s (+0.1) and the 200m in 22.19s (-0.2). Cameron French recorded 22.43s (+0.6) over 200m and 54.33s in the M19 400m hurdles. Blake Gordon B14 won the 100m in 11.76s (+0.5) and 24.22s (+0.6) in the 200m. Talia Horgan won the W16 200m in 26.29s (-1.3). Michael Cochrane won the M19 triple jump 12.60m (NWI).
Damian Smuts was second to Gill in the shot put with 15.29m, as well as sending the discus out to 45.47m and the hammer out to 48.64m. Mark Cumming had a throw of 49.32m with the hammer, while Millie McNie threw 48.54m with the hammer. Luke Davison hoisted the M16 javelin out to 50.77m.

Eastside 5km River Run – 14 December 2010
Phil Murray won in 16m 00s, 1m 16s ahead of Hadley Craig. Helen Rountree was the first woman in 18m 52s.
 
WELLINGTON
Scottish Night of Miles, Newtown Park – 18 December 2010
James List won the mile in 4m 21.54s, narrowly beating Evan Cooper 4m 21.72s. Women’s mile to Sarah Drought in 4m 56.25s from Tina Harris 4m 56.66s. Finn Roy theM19 mile in 4m 29.36s and Cameron Murdoch the M16 mile in 4m 32.21s. Zara Murrihy won the G14 800m in 2m 27.99s and Demelza Murrihy-Topp the senior 800m in 2m 15.68s. Luke Bowden won the M16 200m in 22.82s (+2.5) and Ants McKee the M19 200m in 22.34s (+2.5). Richard Thomson won the senior shot with 14.37m and Ryan Roselli long jumped 7.31m (+2.9).

Waterfront 5km Series – 14 December 2010
Jason Waite won in 16m 40s, from Dave Parsons 16m 44s. Michelle Van Looy was the first woman in 19m 56s. Stuart Hood won the walk in 27m 39s with Terri Grimmett recording 32m 12s.
 
CHRISTCHURCH
Athletics, QEII Stadium – 18/19 December 2010
Fiona Morrison won the 200m in 25.94s (-1.9) and the 100m hurdles in 14.62s (-1.4). Ben Loh was over the bar at 1.90m in the high jump. Jesse Bryant won the Canterbury Octathlon championship with 4927 points. Cody Thomas from Tasman won the M19 decathlon with 5989 points Matthew Davies with 4658 winning the title. Kelsey Berryman won the W19 heptathlon scoring 4386 while Lauri Watt with a score of 4349 won the W16 title.
 
DUNEDIN
Athletics, Caledonian Stadium – 18/19 December 2010
Rebekah Greene set a New Zealand women’s 16 800m record of 2m 7.77s, bettering the standard set for a record of 2m 8s. Greene just made it by eight days, with her 17th birthday on Sunday. Greene also raced a 200m in 27.04s (+2.7).
Oliver O’Sullivan won the 3000m in 9m 01.56s. Blair Grant won the M16 sprint double with 11.18s (+1.5) over 100m and 22.86s (+1.4) over 200m. Fiona Hely clocked 12.60s (+1.5) over 100m. In the field Marshall Hall sent the discus out to 50.36m, Dean Rusbatch M16 hammer throw 48.12m and Brent Cheshire was over the M16 high jump at 1.90m.
Shireen Crumpton won the Otago women’s 10,000m title in 36m 32.95s with the senior men’s title going to Dougal Thorburn in 31m 22.67s. Rosie Robinson won the Otago women’s 10km road walk title in 52m 23s. Daniel Lord won the senior men’s walk in 52m 17s. The Otago M19 decathlon title went to John Gilmour with 5001 points and Davina Hamann scored 4000 to win the W16 heptathlon title.

ANNE AUDAIN
New Zealand women’s resident mile record holder Anne Audain has been re- elected to the Running USA Board of Directors for a second term, website:  www.runningusa.org
Anne chairs the development committee. She is also in the Running USA Hall of Champions which along with being in the NZ Sports Hall of Fame gives her a unique distinction of being in a Hall of Fame in two countries.
Anne Audain’s website:  www.runningherway.net

Murray McKinnon
Communications Advisor
Athletics New Zealand
0274 806086
murray@mckinnon.co.nz

Athletics New Zealand – News